How to create a compelling eCommerce product page

It can be overwhelming to think about customizing every single eCommerce product page on your website, especially if you have hundreds — or even thousands — of products. But it’s well worth the effort, as an eCommerce product page is a make-or-break element for your website.

Focusing on a unique value proposition

It should be the focal point around which every other page element revolves. Some 55 percent of people spend less than 15 seconds on a page, so it’s important to communicate your UVP near the top of the page, in a manner easily recognizeable by customers.

If you’re not quite sure of your unique value proposition, that’s OK. Consider the following to develop a UVP for your brand and individual products:

The value you bring — The more specific, the better (i.e., “Lose dark spots in 15 days” is better than just “Lose dark spots”)

Features tell, benefits sell — Sell the solution that your product provides, not necessarily the shiny things that make it up

What makes your product truly unique? — It can be beneficial to look at the messaging your competitors use, and improve upon it by adding your own unique spin

Cutting the clutter on eCommerce product pages

A high-converting eCommerce product page is about one thing: the product. Many eCommerce product pages don’t convert because webmasters lose focus. And if they’re truly unaware of the page elements that assist with conversions, they might throw up anything they can think of, resulting in an abundance of clutter.

Consider anything that isn’t directly about the product as a distraction.

Their website has been designed with an element of minimalism, placing the focus on their products. If you’re interested in more details, you can hover over the product, and then click through to make a purchase.

Putting images on an eCommerce product page

Visuals are one of the most influential factors affecting purchase decisions. While most people feel a need to physically touch items before purchasing them, great product photos on an eCommerce product page are the next best thing. These usually require hiring a professional photographer, but these tips can help your DIY product photos:

Resolution — Larger, high-resolution photos are better

Details — Zoomable, high-quality detail shots

Angles — Product displays all necessary angles

Backgrounds — White, off-white, or neutral backgrounds

Extras — Include photos of product features and included items

If you’re selling apparel, use a mannequins so people can see what items look like when someone wears them. Consider using eyeless models so you don’t distract the buyer. If the mannequin’s face is shown, the buyer might focus there too much.

Looking to improve existing product photos? Here are some additional tools you can use to create professional product images.

Mobile viewers are 1.2 times more likely to prefer companies offering product videos.

From an SEO perspective, videos improve a page’s ranking in search engine results because there’s less competition for video content versus text or even pictures.
Perfecting copy on an eCommerce product page

The German company L’Axelle found that making their page copy more action-focused led to a 93 percent increase in clicks. So don’t make the mistake of just describing the product — that description is better leveraged by using it to sell the product.

Technical details (like sizing) should be listed in chart form, but the best eCommerce product page copy appeals to the user’s sense of emotion.

For eCommerce copy, Neil Patel (of Kissmetrics and Crazy Egg) recommends following the AIDA copywriting formula: Action, Interest, Desire, Action. For this to work, spend a disproportionately high amount of time on your headlines, because they’re the first thing that grabs a potential buyer’s attention. They determine whether or not they’ll click through or read more.

Once you’ve grabbed the user’s attention, sustain interest by talking about the benefits of your product. Making visitors truly desire your product is the trickiest part, but this can be invoked through the use of social triggers. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, there are six different types:

Reciprocity

Commitment

Authority

Social Proof

Scarcity

Liking

Social triggers can be incorporated on an eCommerce product page through the use of testimonials or another form of user-generated content. Mix one or several, but don’t go overboard. Remember the importance of focusing on only the most important elements.

WooCommerce, developer of a widely used eCommerce platform, offers some guidance as far as technical details to consider for your eCommerce product page:

Dimensions like weight, height, etc.

Sizing information for apparel (size charts help immensely)

Included materials

Where the product was made

Whether assembly or additional parts are necessary

Warnings about hazards and other disclaimers

It all leads to the call-to-action (CTA). This essential eCommerce product page element could take the form of a button, and it should be easy to see and act on. The phrase “Buy Now” is pretty generic, so test other, more compelling options.

Recommending additional products

Why stop at just one product? The most successful eCommerce platforms harness the benefits of driving visitors from one product to another. Providing recommendations for related products will help customers decide to purchase an item or even additional items.

Consider a camera company: A product page for one of their cameras could include recommendations to purchase a case, tripod or memory card. A great eCommerce product page is like a tactful salesperson recommending perfect complements to the main product you’ve eyeing. These recommendations can also take the form of similar products, with different designs or features.

Maddy Osman creates engaging content with SEO best practices for marketing thought leaders and agencies that have their hands full with clients and projects. Learn more about her process and experience on her website, www.The-Blogsmith.com and read her latest articles on Twitter: @MaddyOsman.